Mia JonesThe Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 (MA000076) is the federal Modern Award that sets legally enforceable minimum pay rates and conditions for non-teaching staff employed in Australian schools — government, Catholic, and independent alike. It covers a large and diverse workforce: administrative officers, cleaners, maintenance workers, IT support staff, library assistants, laboratory technicians, integration aides, canteen workers, boarding supervisors, and security personnel. If you work in a school in a non-teaching capacity, this award almost certainly applies to you.
Understanding your entitlements under the Award is not just useful — it is your legal right. The Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) makes compliance with Modern Award terms mandatory for all national system employers. Underpayment is a serious civil breach and, for deliberate wage theft, a criminal offence under the Protecting Worker Entitlements Act 2023.
Pay Structure and Classification Levels
The Award organises employees into eight classification levels (1 through 8), each with sub-levels. Rates are set in clause 17.1 and are updated annually following the Fair Work Commission's Annual Wage Review. The table below shows the minimum rates effective from the most recent wage determination:
| Level | Annual Salary | Weekly Rate | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1.1 | AUD $49,467 | AUD $948.00 | AUD $24.95 |
| Level 1.2 | AUD $51,262 | AUD $982.40 | AUD $25.85 |
| Level 1.3 | AUD $53,062 | AUD $1,016.90 | AUD $26.76 |
| Level 2.1 | AUD $53,453 | AUD $1,024.40 | AUD $26.96 |
| Level 2.2 | AUD $55,102 | AUD $1,056.00 | AUD $27.79 |
| Level 3.1 | AUD $55,786 | AUD $1,069.10 | AUD $28.13 |
| Level 3.2 | AUD $56,782 | AUD $1,088.20 | AUD $28.64 |
| Level 4.1 | AUD $58,885 | AUD $1,128.50 | AUD $29.70 |
| Level 4.2 | AUD $61,839 | AUD $1,185.10 | AUD $31.19 |
| Level 5.1 | AUD $63,847 | AUD $1,223.60 | AUD $32.20 |
| Level 5.2 | AUD $66,905 | AUD $1,282.20 | AUD $33.74 |
| Level 6.1 | AUD $69,305 | AUD $1,328.20 | AUD $34.95 |
| Level 6.2 | AUD $74,017 | AUD $1,418.50 | AUD $37.33 |
| Level 7.1 | AUD $76,188 | AUD $1,460.10 | AUD $38.42 |
| Level 7.2 | AUD $78,635 | AUD $1,507.00 | AUD $39.66 |
| Level 7.3 | AUD $81,067 | AUD $1,553.60 | AUD $40.88 |
| Level 8 | AUD $88,283 | AUD $1,691.90 | AUD $44.52 |
Level 1 typically covers entry-level roles such as cleaners, kitchen hands, and general assistants. Level 4–5 covers experienced administrative staff and senior integration aides. Levels 6–8 cover specialist technical, supervisory, and managerial positions.
Junior rates apply to employees under 20 at Levels 1 and 2: from 50% of the adult rate at age 16 to 90% at age 19. At 20, the full adult rate applies regardless of experience (clause 17.3).
Working Hours, Overtime and Penalty Rates
The standard full-time work week is 38 ordinary hours (clause 21.1). Ordinary hours may be averaged over two to four weeks, or over 12 months for boarding and emergency services roles.
Overtime is paid for hours worked beyond ordinary hours (clause 21.2):
| Situation | Full-time / Part-time | Casual |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Sat, first 3 hours | 150% | 175% |
| Mon–Sat, after 3 hours | 200% | 225% |
| Sunday | 200% | 225% |
| Public holidays | 250% | 275% |
Shift and weekend penalties (clause 22):
| Situation | Rate |
|---|---|
| Afternoon or night shift | 115% |
| Permanent night shift | 130% |
| Saturday (most employees) | 150% |
| Sunday (most employees) | 200% |
| Saturday (cooking/catering, boarding supervision) | 125% |
| Sunday (cooking/catering, boarding supervision) | 175% |
| Broken shift | Base rate + 15% penalty |
Casual loading: Casual employees receive a 25% loading on the minimum hourly rate for every ordinary hour worked (clause 11.1 and NES s.67B from 26 August 2022). This loading compensates for the absence of paid leave entitlements. The minimum engagement for casuals is two hours per shift.
Annual Leave
Under the National Employment Standards (NES), full-time employees are entitled to four weeks (20 days) of paid annual leave per year (Fair Work Act 2009 s.87). Shiftworkers who regularly work Sundays and public holidays may be entitled to five weeks.
Annual leave loading under this Award is 17.5% of the ordinary rate of pay, payable when leave is taken (clause 26 or the applicable leave provision). This loading is additional to the ordinary rate and represents a meaningful financial benefit — for a Level 4.1 employee earning AUD $29.70/hour, leave loading adds approximately AUD $1,005 for a four-week leave period.
Schools are entitled to require employees to take annual leave during non-term weeks, provided adequate notice is given. This is a common feature of school employment, aligning leave with school holidays.
Leave accrual occurs progressively throughout the year. Part-time employees accrue leave on a pro-rata basis proportional to their contracted hours. Unused leave accumulates and must be paid out upon termination.
Cashing out annual leave is permitted by written agreement between employer and employee, provided no less than four weeks of leave remains in the balance after the payout (NES s.94).
Notice Period
When an employer dismisses an employee, the Fair Work Act 2009 s.117 sets the following minimum notice periods based on continuous service:
| Years of continuous service | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 1 week |
| 1 year to less than 3 years | 2 weeks |
| 3 years to less than 5 years | 3 weeks |
| 5 years or more | 4 weeks |
Over-45 supplement: Employees aged 45 or over with at least two years of continuous service are entitled to one additional week of notice (s.117(3)).
The Award does not prescribe a longer notice period than the NES minimum. However, individual employment contracts or enterprise agreements may provide for longer notice. Payment in lieu of notice is permitted — the employer may choose to pay the employee their full entitlements for the notice period rather than requiring them to work it.
If an employee resigns, the same NES scale applies as a guide, though Award provisions for resignation notice may differ. Check your contract.
Redundancy Pay
Genuine redundancy entitlements are set by the NES under Fair Work Act 2009 Schedule 4 (s.119). The Award does not provide any enhancement above the NES formula.
| Years of continuous service | Redundancy pay (weeks) |
|---|---|
| 1 year | 4 weeks |
| 2 years | 6 weeks |
| 3 years | 7 weeks |
| 4 years | 8 weeks |
| 5 years | 10 weeks |
| 6 years | 11 weeks |
| 7 years | 13 weeks |
| 8 years | 14 weeks |
| 9 years | 16 weeks |
| 10 years or more | 12 weeks (NES cap) |
Small business exemption: Employers with fewer than 15 employees at the time of redundancy are exempt from NES redundancy pay requirements (Fair Work Act 2009 s.123(1)).
Tax treatment: Redundancy pay from a genuine redundancy is a tax-free payment up to the ATO's tax-free limit: AUD $12,524 base amount plus AUD $6,264 for each completed year of service (2025-26 figures). Amounts above this threshold are taxed as an employment termination payment (ETP) at concessional rates.
If you believe your redundancy is not genuine — for example, your role is being filled by someone else — you may have grounds to make a general protections claim or an unfair dismissal claim under the Fair Work Act.
Superannuation
From 1 July 2025, the Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings, under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992. Your employer must pay this amount into a complying super fund on top of your wages — it is not deducted from your take-home pay.
Nominated funds under this Award (as of January 2026) include NGS Super, UniSuper, Aware Super, HESTA, and AustralianSuper, among others. Under Fair Work Act 2009 s.149A (Choice of Fund), employees have the right to choose their own complying super fund. Your employer must pay into your nominated fund unless your employment contract or an enterprise agreement specifies a particular fund.
Concessional contributions cap: In 2025-26, the total concessional contributions cap (employer SG + salary sacrifice) is AUD $30,000 per year. Contributions above this cap are taxed at your marginal rate rather than the concessional 15% rate.
Voluntary contributions: The Award permits employees to authorise post-tax voluntary deductions. Adjustments to voluntary deduction amounts require three months' written notice to the employer.
Allowances
The Award provides specific allowances for workers in qualifying roles:
| Allowance | Rate |
|---|---|
| First Aid allowance | AUD $920.47/year or AUD $3.84/day |
| Sleepover allowance | AUD $61.36/sleepover + 150% hourly rate for work performed |
| Meal allowance | AUD $19.93/occasion (if meal not provided by employer) |
| Tool allowance (tradesperson) | AUD $17.90/week (carpenters: AUD $33.88/week) |
| Uniform allowance | AUD $1.20/day (max AUD $6.00/week) or employer provision |
| Vehicle allowance | AUD $0.99/km (motor car, max 400 km/week) |
| On-call allowance | One ordinary hour's pay per 24-hour on-call period |
These allowances are separate from base pay and are adjusted annually. If your role involves any of these activities, confirm with your employer or union whether the allowance is being paid correctly.
State and Territory Variations
The Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2020 is a federal instrument — pay rates and conditions apply uniformly across all Australian states and territories. However, several entitlements remain governed by state and territory legislation and therefore vary by jurisdiction.
Long service leave: Qualifying periods and entitlements differ significantly. Use the Long Service Leave tab in the calculator above to check your state or territory:
| State/Territory | Qualifying period | Entitlement |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | 10 years | 2 months (approx. 8.667 weeks) |
| VIC | 7 years | 6.067 weeks (pro-rata access after 7 years) |
| QLD | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| SA | 10 years | 13 weeks |
| WA | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| TAS | 10 years | 8.667 weeks |
| ACT | 10 years | 6.067 weeks (pro-rata after 7 years) |
| NT | 10 years | 13 weeks; additional 6.5 weeks per subsequent 5 years |
Public holidays: All Australian employees observe the eight federal public holidays (New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, ANZAC Day, King's Birthday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day). State-specific additions include Melbourne Cup Day in Victoria, EKKA Show Day in Queensland, Adelaide Cup in South Australia, and Foundation Day in Western Australia.
Workers compensation: Each state and territory operates its own workers compensation scheme (icare NSW, WorkSafe VIC, WorkCover QLD, ReturnToWork SA, WorkCover WA, WorkSafe Tasmania, and the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 for Commonwealth employees). Premiums, benefits, and return-to-work processes vary.
Your Rights at Work
Unfair dismissal: Employees covered by this Award can apply to the Fair Work Commission for an unfair dismissal remedy under Fair Work Act 2009 s.382 once they have completed the minimum employment period — six months for employers with 15 or more employees, or 12 months for small businesses. The application must be lodged within 21 calendar days of dismissal.
General protections: The Fair Work Act Part 3-1 prohibits employers from taking adverse action against employees who exercise a workplace right, such as making a complaint, taking parental leave, or being a union member. These protections apply from day one of employment — there is no minimum employment period.
Right of entry: Under Fair Work Act Part 3-4, authorised union officials may enter your workplace to investigate suspected contraventions, meet with members, and inspect employee records. The Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) and the Australian Education Union (AEU) represent general staff in many schools.
Workplace health and safety: The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and state equivalents impose duties on employers to provide a safe workplace. If you have a safety concern, you can raise it with a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) or contact your state/territory WHS regulator.
Wage theft: If you believe you are being underpaid, you can lodge a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) at fairwork.gov.au or by calling 1300 724 690. The FWO can investigate, issue compliance notices, and take legal action. Deliberate wage theft by employers is now a criminal offence.
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For questions about your specific employment situation, contact your union, the Fair Work Ombudsman (1300 724 690) or a qualified employment lawyer.
